All Categories

The Captivating Scenic Drives in India

Planning for a holiday / vacation starts much in advance, probably weeks and months ago. But the actual holiday begins when you start your journey. The best way to start with a bang is to take the road journey (if possible). This is the best way to explore the surroundings of the place you are traveling to. Chances are that you may find some of the unexplored and unseen scenic location on the way to your destination.

The more you see the picturesque landscapes the more you feel the adrenaline rush and excitement building over. India is a country blessed with a variety of landscapes and climatic conditions, Which gives birth to some of the exotic locations. If you travel across India, the change in culture, language and landscape is pretty visible. There is a famous saying that says “In India the culture, language and landscape changes every mile you travel”. Such is the diversity.

Following we have listed some of the most scenic roads in India :

East Coast Road

The East Coast Road is also referred as ECR (State Highway number 49 in Tamil Nadu). The total length of the highway is 690 kms and is built along the Bay of Bengal. The highway connects Chennai to Cuddalore via Pondicherry. The recent developments has extended it upto Thoothukudi. The drive from Chennai till Thoothukudi is full of various scenic locations and picturesque spots.

Ghat Roads

Ghats refers to the roads in the mountainous regions of western and eastern India.The Western Ghats – The Western Ghats of India were recently declared as the World Heritage Sites in India by UNESCO. These Ghats are one of the eight hottest hotspots of biological diversity in the world. The 1,600 km ghat starts near Gujarat and Maharashtra border and runs through the states of Maharashtra, Goa, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu and Kerala ending at Kanyakumari (the southern tip of India).The Eastern Ghats – The Eastern Ghats run from West Bengal state in the north, through Orissa and Andhra Pradesh to Tamil Nadu in the south passing some parts of Karnataka. The mountain ranges in the East if India run parallel to the Bay of Bengal.

Kodaikanal to Munnar Road

en.wikipedia.org

The old State Highway number 18 that connects Dindigul District and Theni District of Tamil Nadu and Idukki district of Kerala in South India. The total length of the highway is 81 kilometers and was the British evacuation route in 1942. The elevation at which this road is located was the highest in The south of Himalayas. It was about 2,480 meters, but unfortunately it was closed in 1990. However you can still trek through the old route with prior permission from the Tamil Nadu Forest Department and the Kerala Forests and Wildlife Department.

Leh Manali Highway

en.wikipedia.org

The northern part of India is home to some of the exotic locations, spellbinding landscapes and a variety of flora and fauna. But the picturesque hill stations and snow clad mountains are the prime attractions. This highway stretches from Leh in Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir state to Manali in Himachal Pradesh state. These areas witness a heavy snowfall each year hence the highway is open only for about four and a half months starting from May / June (depending on the snow fall conditions) till October. The highway is closed from November to May. The total length of the highway is 490 km

Nilgiri Ghat Roads

en.wikipedia.org

The Nilgiri District is one of the most scenic locations in India. Located in the state of Tamil Nadu the Nilgiri Ghat is a part of the Western Ghats of India. The Nilgiri Ghat forms the border between Karnataka and Kerala. The nilgiri Ghats can be reached from all three states i.e. Tamil Nadu, Karnataka and Kerala.

State Highway 17 in Kerala

en.wikipedia.org

Kerala, often dubbed as ‘God’s Own Country’, is home to many picturesque and exotic locations. The most popular attraction here is cruising the Backwaters. Kerala is believed to be the Greenest state in India and a very popular eco-tourism destination that attracts millions of tourists each year. The State Highway number 17 also called the ‘Northern outlet road’ and ‘Munnar – Udumalpet road’ is one of the most memorable drive one can ever experience. The 85 km long State highway passes through the Anaimalai Hills and the Palni Hills.